ENVISION

ENGAGE
INNOVATE

Best Practices in Neonatal Microbiome Development

Trysha Hicks, BSN Honors Student; Melissa Goldsmith, PhD, RNC; Sheila Gephart, PhD, RN

Purpose Evidence Based Recommendations Interventions

• Creating and implementing education programs for all staff involved
• To develop best practice recommendations for healthcare providers and within the maternal and child population.
new parents to encourage optimal microbiome development in neonates • Developing informational brochures for families summarizing the
through a variety of elective influences. Use of skin-to-
skin contact Spontaneous recommendations to support proper microbiome development in infants.
immediately vaginal delivery
following
delivery Conclusions
• The aim of developing these best practice recommendations is to
educate healthcare professionals and expectant families on choices that
Optimal encourage optimal microbiome development for their newborns, while
Background Neonatal minimizing adverse effects from improper microbiome development.
• Newborn care practices following delivery are dependent on the setting,
Microbiome • Nursing education is pivotal to implementing this change as nurses have
maternal decisions, prior education, and risks specific to each family. Development a responsibility to educate the expectant parents on the evidence
supporting these interventions.
• In the last year, almost four million infants were born in the United
States.
• Specifically, these best practice methods focus on elective postnatal Limiting
choices that the parents may initiate to encourage microbiota unnecessary
development. Bifidobacteria specifically plays a dominant role in a Exclusive antibiotic exposure
healthy microbiome formation, with proper colonization leading to fewer breastfeeding
infections, fewer Clostridia species colonized in the gut, and reduced
allergic responses.
• Effects of proper microbiome development can not only be seen in an
infants health, but throughout a child’s long-term growth.

Long-Term Benefits of Proper Microbiome

Development with Bifidobacteria
• Improved immune response, decreased infection rates
Approach • Fewer Clostridia species in the gut
• Literature search conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar
• Reduced allergic response Implications for Future Clinical Practice
• Lower risk for obesity • Additional research needed for a few innovative, key interventions:
• Keywords: neonatal microbiome, infant gut microbiota, delayed bathing, • delayed bathing as it relates to microbiome development
and vaginal seeding.
• vaginal seeding or exposure to vaginal fluids for partial
• Articles published between 2007-2017 restoration
• Total of 20 articles reviewed in this thesis, ranging from randomized • probiotic supplemented formula
control trials to cohort studies. • sibling presence at home